My World of Glass
by AWildeRomantic
Summary: Harry didn't want to think about how having them back meant that something was terribly wrong. A new enemy, a new threat, and Harry must choose between a life he has always dreamed of, and saving the wizarding world he knows so well before it falls apart


Chapter 1: Beginning After the End

Harry awoke disoriented. He lay on a bed in a darkened room, the shades drawn tight against morning sunlight. A stale sort of feeling permeated the air, like what one feels after staying home ill for too many days.

It wasn't until he opened the door and stepped out into the hall that he realized he was on one of the top floors of the Burrow. Voices floated up from downstairs, not as jubilant as he remembered from his first visits, but certainly happier than the past few days. Harry started down the stairs, wondering why he still felt so woozy.

He found Hermione and Ron in the kitchen peeling potatoes. They looked up and Harry suddenly found himself enveloped in a tight, two person hug.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped as they finally drew back. "We didn't think you'd be up so soon…"

"Soon?" Ron stared at her. "It's been two days, Hermione, I think this isn't soon enough…"

Harry stared at his friends in surprise. "Two days? Two days since what?"

The other two exchanged nervous looks. Hermione swallowed thickly and touched Harry's arm. "A lot has happened since…well since the Death Eaters attacked Hogwarts."

"We don't really know how or why," Ron added quickly, "It just…I mean you were really sick or something, sort of passed out and, well yeah. But that's not all. There was something else…"

"What do you mean? What else's happened?" Panic flared suddenly, bringing with it a whirlwind of thoughts of what else could possibly go wrong, who else could have died, what else could have been left unfinished…

Except Hermione was smiling. She pointed towards the window above the sink. "Just look."

Wondering what on earth could be out there that had changed, Harry went over to lean against the edge of the sink. The windows looked out on the garden, where Harry could see Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and another tall, slender, redheaded woman were working. Ginny looked up and saw Harry, smiling and waving, then she turned to tug on the other woman's sleeve.

Harry's hands tightened on the edge of the sink, his lips parting in a silent look of shock.

"Told you," Ron muttered.

"No you said he was going to faint, that is not fainting," Hermione hissed.

The back door opened. Harry turned, still at a loss for a proper reaction.

Lily Potter stood in the door to the kitchen, her eyes wide. "Oh…" she breathed, a smile growing on her face as she tucked a curl of coppery hair behind one ear and took another step inside. "Harry…"

Harry gaped wordlessly for a moment before he managed, "H-h-how…"

"I don't know," Lily said softly, reaching out to brush her fingers over his cheek. "None of us remember how, we just…we just were."

"Lupin and Tonks are alright as well," Hermione explained, her smile evident in her voice. "And Professor Snape, and some other students and teachers…It's amazing…"

But Harry hardly heard her. He continued to stare up at his mother's face, those emerald eyes which were so familiar…He didn't know how long he stood there looking at her, taking in everything about her from the rather ordinary jeans and loose tunic that she wore to the little half smile playing on her lips.

"Mum…" he whispered, and finally stepped into her arms, pressing his face to her shoulder, closing his eyes as he felt the soft fabric of her shirt against his cheek.

"Harry…" She said, arms tightening around him. "Harry, I am so sorry…"

Harry didn't realize what she had said at first. He was still lost in the feeling of the embrace that was different from Hermione's or Mrs. Weasley's because it was so strong and gentle and so _right_. After a second he looked up, blinking. "Sorry?"

"For not being there to take care of you." Lily brushed his bangs back, her thumb tracing his scar before she lowered her hand. Harry caught a whiff of something like spring flowers and sun-warmed cotton.

"You are kidding, right?" Harry said, suddenly hearing a laugh suddenly bubble up from his throat. "Mum…you…you're alive…"

"Harry, dear you're awake!" Mrs. Weasley and Ginny came bustling in with armfuls of vegetables from the garden. Mrs. Weasley deposited hers in the sink and moved over to Harry. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't even know anymore…" Harry said, looking up at Lily once again. His mother beamed and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"It is so wonderful, isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley said, smiling. It was hard to miss the twinge of sadness in her voice. Harry guessed, with a tightening in his chest, that Fred wasn't one of the ones to make the inexplicable return.

Lily stepped back from Harry. "Here, Molly, let me help you with that…"

Harry stumbled into one of the kitchen chairs and sat down heavily.

"Harry?" Hermione pressed a cup of tea into his hands, looking like she was about to start laughing. "Are you alright?"

"No idea…" Harry muttered, shaking his head.

If Harry thought he was in for a day of recovery, or even just a day where he could talk to his mother and try to get his head around what had happened, he was wrong. Though everyone had already had a two-day head start on pestering Lily with questions she seemed incapable of answering, the Burrow still started to resemble Kings Cross Station with all of the wizarding world coming and going. Aurors were in and out, and Mr. Weasley showed up sometime in the afternoon with Kingsley Shacklebolt. The new Minister of Magic spent about two hours speaking with Lily alone in the sitting room, though they must not have reached any new conclusions for both came out looking if anything more confused and frustrated.

Harry didn't actually get a moment alone with his mother until much later that evening.

He sat on the back porch with Hermione after dinner, staring up at the star-studded sky and the glowing lights of the nearest town off beyond the fields. A cool breeze had risen, rustling the soft grasses.

"I kept trying to tell everyone that they should just let you and your mum have a day off," Hermione was saying. "But they're all scrambling to put things back together."

Harry shrugged. "It's alright, I'll catch some time with her I'm sure…"

"She's really a lovely person," Hermione said. She shot Harry an amused look. "And she positively _adores_ Ginny, it's rather cute."

"Does she know about everything that's happened since…"

"Since she died?" Hermione tipped her head and nodded. "She does. She's as confused about how she knows as much as how she got back here, but yes, she seems, well, _aware_ at least, of what happened and…"

"And I am so proud of you, Harry."

They both looked up to see Lily standing in the doorway. Hermione smiled and squeezed Harry's shoulder, standing to slip back inside. Lily came forward and sat beside Harry. "I really am amazed by everything you've done, sweetheart. You're so much like your father."

"I couldn't've done it if it weren't for you though," Harry said, looking up at her. "You protected me against Voldemort, not just that night but…forever. Did…did you know?"

"No, I had no idea what repercussions it would have," she said softly. "All I knew was that you were the most important thing in the world to me and that I wouldn't have to think twice about giving my life for you."

Harry leaned against her shoulder, letting out a long breath. Suddenly things were normal, insanely normal, compared with the rest of his life. Honestly he wasn't quite sure what to make of it all.

"I would like to return to Hogwarts tomorrow, if you feel up to it," Lily said. "Remus is there, and Minerva, I need to speak with them and, and Severus as well…"

The mention of Snape's name brought Harry's head up and he looked up at his mother curiously. "Erm, have you talked to Snape? Since you came back, I mean."

"Talked to him? No, I haven't." Lily peered down at him. "He was badly injured, that bloody snake – "

"Yeah, I was there." Harry muttered, looking at his hands. "Look, Mum, about him…when he was dying he gave me some of his memories." He glanced up. "Most of them were about you."

Lily wet her lips and nodded, then reached over to squeeze Harry's hand. "Yes?"

"When you two were little, and at school and…" Harry shook his head. "He was pretty horrid to me mostly."

"Well," Lily wrinkled her nose. "Sev has always been rather impetuous, and you are _so_ much like James…when he was older, at least."

Harry nodded, squeezing her hand. "We could go back tomorrow."

Lily smiled and they got to their feet. She pulled Harry close, kissing his forehead. Harry held on for a moment. He wanted to say something like _I missed you_ or _I'm so glad you're back_, but nothing came to mind that was exactly what he felt. So he hugged his mother for a moment longer, and then they both turned to go back inside out of the cooling night.

They apparated to Hogsmead the following afternoon, and from there walked to Hogwarts. Lily was quiet most of the way, and when they came into sight of the castle Harry saw a smile spread over her face. She paused, gazing up above the tree tops.

"This place…" she sighed, shaking her head and smiling.

Harry grinned. A breeze picked up, rustling the leaves of the Forbidden Forest. Two thestrals soared up on the air currents, squawking to each other, and Harry saw his mother's eyes following them as they wheeled higher and higher. Somewhere in the distance Harry heard a familiar barking.

"Lets go see Hagrid," he said, nudging his mother.

They crossed the grounds towards Hagrid's hut. Lily had barely raised her hand to knock when the door was yanked open and Hagrid lifted her right into the air with a rather sniffly noise of delight. Lily grabbed his shoulders, looking surprised at first, then laughing. "Well, it's good to see you too."

"They said you were back," Hagrid said tearfully. "They said but I didn't think it was possible…"

Professor McGonagall stepped out of the hut as well, holding a large tea cup in one hand. "Hagrid, good lord, don't hurt her."

Hagrid set Lily back on her feet and wiped a hand over his eyes. "Right, sorry."

Lily grinned, patting his arm then turning to hug Professor McGonagall. "Minerva."

"It's going to be a while before I get used to seeing you around again," Professor McGonagall said, smiling. She put a hand on Lily's shoulder. "If I could just have a quick word with you…"

As the two women moved off around to the side of the hut, Harry followed Hagrid inside.

"So what's it like having yer mum around?" Hagrid asked, moving to put a kettle of tea on.

"Amazing," Harry said. "And its so weird, too, I mean…it just feels so…._normal_. Like I'm not used to having a mother, and I would've thought I'd feel…something. I mean, I do, but mostly it's just relief and I dunno, calm."

Hagrid sent him an amused smile. "Yeah, well, she's got that sort of effect on people."

Lily and Professor McGonagall returned a moment later, both looking rather thoughtful as they joined Harry and Hagrid at the table. Over tea Professor McGonagall filled them in on the progress of rebuilding Hogwarts – which was going a lot faster than anyone had anticipated – and how things were, miraculously, settling back into a somewhat regular routine.

"The infirmary is still bustling," she added, draining the last of her tea. "Madam Pomfrey's been tending to the injuries that are bad, but not bad enough to require a trip to St. Mungo's." She glanced at Lily. "Speaking of which, Severus was quite insistent about speaking with you."

Harry didn't miss the smile that crossed his mother's features as they all set their cups aside and got to their feet. Lily and Hagrid took the lead, talking and laughing softly. Harry fell into step with Professor McGonagall a few paces behind.

"Professor? Something's wrong, isn't it?"

She sighed and looked at him over the top of her glasses. "Don't take this the wrong way, Potter. I'm as happy as anyone to see your mother and Professor Snape and the others alive but…it shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't be possible for them to be alive. And because it happened, it leads me to believe that yes, something must be terribly wrong."

"Right," Harry said, taking a deep breath. "Because no magic can bring back the dead. Not even the resurrection stone could do it properly. But…when I was, you know, dead, Dumbledore said that we always have a choice about coming back or not."

"Except you know it isn't that simple, Potter," Professor McGonagall said sadly. "If it was, there would be more people alive, wouldn't you think?" She sighed. "It worries me. And I'm not the only one."

Harry nodded, swallowing thickly as they paused at the top of the stairs leading into the school. He turned around, looking back the way they had come. The breeze stirring the Forbidden Forest had turned cool now, and dark clouds were gathering low on the horizon. He had his mother back. He didn't want to even think about how, in the grand scheme of things, her being alive wasn't right at all and, as Professor McGonagall had said, it meant something was terribly wrong.


End file.
